Thailand pushes creative economy to become a Creative Nation
Thailand is looking to its creative economy as a new engine of growth, with the Creative Economy Agency (CEA) seeking to turn local culture, talent and city identities into economic opportunities and attract visitors and investment from around the world. CEA says the country’s creative economy is currently worth about 1.7 trillion baht, equivalent to […] The post Thailand pushes creative economy…
In Thailand, the government is focusing on the creative economy as a potential new driver of growth. The Creative Economy Agency (CEA) aims to harness local culture, talent and city identities to create economic opportunities and bring in visitors and investment worldwide. Currently, the creative economy contributes to about 10.8% of Thailand's gross value added (GVA) and employs nearly a million people.
The World Bank's 2026 report highlights creative industries as one of five sectors with strong potential to boost productivity, attract investment and generate quality employment in Thailand. To develop this sector, the CEA believes a coordinated approach is needed, investing in people, businesses and cities to allow local communities to build upon their existing cultural and creative assets.
Local food, crafts, culture, design and creative talent can be transformed into products, services, experiences and content that reflect the unique identity of individual cities. Festivals and other creative activities can help connect these identities with tourism and investment prospects. The CEA recognizes that festivals serve as platforms for local economic development and has launched the Festival Creator 2026 programme to strengthen the skills of festival organizers and encourage events that embody community identity.
This year, six festivals across five provinces are receiving support, creating opportunities for local people to showcase their skills, network, experiment and generate business prospects.
The CEA's vision extends to transforming cities into "City as a Stage" environments, where artists, designers, entrepreneurs and communities collaborate to create new economic and cultural value. To this end, the agency is supporting city branding initiatives, focusing on identifying the "DNA" of each city through collaboration among various stakeholders.
The project is implemented in nine model cities, with each city developing its own brand identity that highlights its unique characteristics and assets. These identities include "Ubon the Beautiful Paradox" for Ubon Ratchathani, "Sappaya Sakon: The Beauty of the Ordinary" for Sakon Nakhon, and "Phetchaburi: City of Origins" for Phetchaburi.
The ultimate goal is to position Thai cities and creative festivals as global destinations, turning festivals into marketing, economic and city-branding platforms that attract visitors, investment and international networks. By doing so, the CEA aims to create an ecosystem where economic activity and awareness persist beyond the festival period, ultimately strengthening Thailand's position as a Creative Nation while fostering the growth of cities that are increasingly attractive places to live, invest and visit.
Written by urgent.news from Khaosod English's reporting — not their text. Machine-written — may contain errors; check the original before relying on it.
